of Sailboats and Stars
by Underwater Dreaming
Summary: An ongoing collection of unrelated one piece drabbles - some are longer than others. lots of gen. most pairings slash. /Send in some prompts?/
1. Chapter 1

A night silent but for the waves

Gazing up at the starry sky and dreaming

Dreaming of the dead past, of the better days

From the hole in your chest your heart slowly creeps out

You push and pull and you hold it with your bare hands

The beat skids and falters; stutters to a painful stop

Then with a shock it jolts back into your chest

His will never return, lost forever

In a sea of fire and memories

Of long lost happiness.

 _Of Ace._


	2. The Question (ZoroxLuffy)

**A/N:** Zoro/Luffy

* * *

"Oh, that kid is super obvious," Nami exclaimed. "First it's all 'Meat, meat, meat!' and he launches himself at Zoro!"

Usopp puckered up his lips. "And then he's just, 'kiss Zoro, kiss!'" He made some kissy sounds at Zoro, before ducking with a yelp when a sword swung at his head. "I've fought goldfish more ferocious than you- Hey!"

Sanji smirked, leaning against the rail as the swordman chased the sniper around the deck below. "And then, when he finally gets it... He demands more! 'More, Zoro, I want moooooore'..." He drawled out the latter half in a seductive groan, catching the ire of the marimo below.

"Damn cook!" Was his battle cry, and "Stupid Marimo!" Was the returning shout from the blond as Zoro leapt up to the top deck at him.

Letting out a huff as the focus shifted away from him, Usopp slumped to the ground with a weary sigh, content now to watch the other two fight from the sidelines, while occasionally egging them on with a shout.

Nami grinned at the scene, before turning to the final member of their party. "Did you have anything else you wanted to ask, Ace?"

He twitched, and resolved not to question the Straw Hats again.


	3. Too close, now burnt (gen)

**A/N:** No DF Luffy AU

* * *

In the beginning, Ace didn't even need the flaming power of the Devil Fruit. He already had a raging fire burning in his chest.

Luffy was like a moth to the flame- entranced at first sight.  
And no matter how many times his wings were clipped, how many times he got too close to the sun and was burnt, he refused to give up.

Brick-headed, was what Ace though.

Stubborn, too. A crybaby. Such an annoying brat. He didn't know when to just get lost and stop it already. Because Ace didn't need anyone else but Sabo.

Most certainly not little _babies_ who couldn't stop _crying_.

And so, despite that one, odd, disapproving look from his blond friend, he continued to shove the younger of the three away. Keep him at arms length.

Luffy was as tough as tar, though. Nothing would keep him away for long, short of tying him to a tree and calling the local wildlife for dinner.

...But even as tough and merciless and grown up as Ace and Sabo were, they weren't going to be _that_ horrible.

So, they continued to lose him in the forest, tangled up in vines and shrubs and venomous snakes.

No matter how much he got cut and bruised, bitten, stomped, chewed and spat out, though, Luffy didn't stop.

 _Even with countless holes in its wings, the moth still flutters back to the fire._

It wasn't until after their secret had been discovered, they hid their treasure and, guilty, decided to go back for the clingy kid that somewhere, somehow, had slowly started to grow on them.

 _But even the most valiant moth has its limits. And Luffy got too close to the flames._

They found him bloody and beaten. If Ace had to count the number of bones sticking out through the skin, he'd need both hands and maybe even his feet.

Picking him up resulted in a heartrending scream of pain. Ace carried him gingerly back to the bandit's house, but even then he knew.

 _There is no way for a creature who has lost its wings to ever fly again._


	4. Homesick (gen)

**A/N:** _Actual #4 contains mature content. go to AO3 for that._

Ace is feeling a little homesick. Or is it luffysick?

* * *

The waves of the ocean gently rock the small fishing boat- more of a dinghy, really- that's been given a breath of new life as a Pirate Ship.

Today, like the past four, has been mild. The sun is out, a handful of clouds scattered in the sky, and wind strong enough to fill the sails without being _too_ much so.

For a maiden voyage of the newly minted Pirate, Ace, it'd been perfect so far. He was on course for a nearby island- Rowan, if he remembered right- and there was a good lot of food and water tucked away in the boats single, cramped room below deck. Far more than he remembered gathering himself, in fact. He had a feeling Makino and the other villagers may have had something to do with that.

And yet, Ace let out a long sigh, he was still utterly _miserable_. Why, you might ask?

For most questions in Aces life, there was a single answer that could be applied to almost any situation.

 _Luffy_.

He couldn't stop thinking about him! Cute, adorable little Luffy! His dear younger brother! He huffed, leaning against the railing and staring at the empty horizon.

He was probably getting into all sorts of trouble by now! All alone -a brief, biting flash of blond flickered in his vision- without Ace there to watch out for him. He grit his teeth. Remembered how Luffy had hidden his face behind his hat, even as he grinned and waved and faded into the distance.

But he couldn't. He couldn't go back, no matter how much he wanted, because it would only make this feeling worse. And Luffy, Luffy... He would get so excited, and worried, but so so happy... and then hurt all over again.

Because Ace would have to leave him behind. Again. And that was the only thing that kept him from turning the hell around and going back.

Still, the thought that Luffy would be better off if he didn't return was a cold comfort. Because now, on this empty ship, even with the sun and the picturesque view, he was lonely and miserable.

And he should be feeling excited, happy and eager- but he couldn't.

 _Because dammit, he missed his little brother._


	5. Pain (gen)

**A/N:** Painful to read, painful to write.

* * *

As the fist went through his back he dimly registered the pain. It was a faint, fluttering feeling in his back, and yet he knew, he _knew_... That it was far more than that.

Looking at his little brother, he knew Luffy knew it, too. The stricken, horrified look across his face made it plain as day that he realised it.

Ace wasn't going to make it. This was the end.

And it hurt. Luffys pain was Ace's pain. Aces pain was Luffys pain.

He grit his teeth. That his pain had caused even more pain...

 _It was unbearable._


	6. Turned Back (gen)

**A/N:** Not an OC...

* * *

She smiled at the slumped form in the cell, mere feet and a solid inch of seastone the only things that separated them.

"Oh, darling, how we'll have so much fun." The words were bitter and cloying on her tongue, but a certain reputation had to be kept.

Even if she did plan on "accidentally" releasing him later. Certain curious eyes had to be satisfied, first.

And so Luffy, who'd travelled back through time and spent countless years getting ready to save his brother, stepped into the cell, whip slowly uncurling from her hip.

"We're going to have so much fun."

The words felt like tears.


	7. Self-loathing (gen)

**A/N:** Nami.

* * *

Nami smiled, full of teeth and so fake.

That boy with the straw hat, Luffy, grinned in return. Warm and generous and welcoming.

Her arm ached.

And she's never felt closer to the dirt than now.


	8. Break (gen)

**A/N:**...

* * *

By the time Marineford rolled around, the Whitebeard pirates were already broken.

Most people thought it was Ace's death, or Whitebeards death.

But really... Those were just the nails in the coffin.

A coffin full of Thatch.


	9. All according to plan (MarcoxAce)

**A/N:** Marco/Ace

* * *

When Ace suddenly lurched forward in the middle of a conversation, Marco assumed it was just another attack of narcolepsy, and stepped forward with arms at the ready to prevent him falling face first to the ground.

Aces hands shot out, latching onto the sides of his open shirt, and PULLED. Caught off guard Marco stumbled forward, and Ace took the chance to crush their lips together.

If one were to say that Marco was surprised by this, one would be gravely understating the situation.

Marco was utterly flabbergasted. There wasn't even the faintest hint or word to suggest that this would happen.

Although, as he wrapped his arms around the freckled Ace, tugging him closer to deepen the impromptu kiss, he couldn't really say he minded.


	10. Chapter 10 (MarcoxAce)

**A/N:** Marco the checkout "chick"

* * *

Marco scowled impassively at the boy across the counter. He'd been standing there for nearly fifteen minutes, staring up at the menu indecisively.

And it was clear that he was aware it was a nuisance, because he'd glance towards the blond male almost as often as the menu items, as if worried he'd be suddenly kicked out.

Marco sighed. "Kid, if you're not ordering, if you'd please move to the side so that the next in line can-"

The freckled teen -not quite an adult, but too old for a boy, he supposed- interrupted him hastily, hands held up in front of him. Marcos left eye twitched in annoyance at being cut off.

It was probably one of his pet peeves. Thatch, loveable as he was, was a serial offender; and the rest of the family were little better.

Freckles, as he would henceforth be dubbed, seemed to have a similar habit. He was currently rambling- something about his brother and a black hole, -Marco hadn't been paying much attention- when he held a hand up to stop the stream of crap.

"If you're not ordering, get outta here." He snapped irritably, glaring at the kid with the same glare he tended to reserve for when Thatch did something monumentally STUPID.

The jaw closed with a clack, eyes widening in surprise, and- was it just the light, or did his cheeks go red?

A hand shot up to point at the menu suddenly. "Ten of those."

Marco followed the direction in which the digit was pointing.

"Ten Jumbo Phoenix Boxes it is, yoi." He smirked, and rang up the order before Freckles could stutter so much as "extra fries".

Freckles pulled a face- read, grimace- at the price, but dutifully paid for the exorbitantly large order anyway. Marco hoped both that he had a lot of friends to eat all the food, and that he'd be quick in taking his order and going.

Realising that the teen was still standing and now staring at him entirely, he waved a hand at him in a shooing motion.

"Over there, Freckles. Your order will take a while."

His black haired customer wisely moved to the side.


	11. Self-Hate (MarcoxAce)

**A/N:** Now this is up to date with my AO3 account... I think. Sorry if your inbox got spammed suddenly! Q_Q

 **Warning** : Internalized Homophobia.

* * *

If Ace ever doubted he was a monster and a freak, that doubt was now gone.

He'd felt a desire. A deep urge... To kiss Marco.

But Marco is a guy, and so is Ace! Wanting to kiss another guy like that is disgusting. Ace should've expected it, though. He's a demon, should never have even been born, so the fact he's having unnatural urges isn't unexpected.

Still. Of all the people for him to taint like this. Marco... Ace really respected the guy. Admired him a bit. Clearly too much of both.  
But he was free, like all of his brothers and their father, and just had an air about him.

The thought of the other crew members only made his -admittedly, already quite terrible- mood sink further. Things had gotten off to a rocky start -mostly by him- but it had just started to settle down. He'd just started to feel like he could maybe belong here.

And then THIS happens. Just typical. Whenever he has something good, and he gets used to it, something bad happens to take it away.

A flicker of remembered flames and he curls in on himself in the crows next. Sabo. The name is painful to even think about. One of his best friends, his brother, torn away from him, from Luffy.

His mind drifts to the Spade Pirates. His crew. His very own crew, of which he was the captain. They'd been like a little family.

And now they are no more.

Because of him. Because he was so weak.

He couldn't even protect them, and now they were gone their separate ways with the crew disbanded.

And now this. Whitebeard... Pops. Everyone here slowly growing on him and sneaking past the walls he puts up, past the wary and towards the fragile pieces of him.

And now it will all disappear.

Because of him.

Because he is a monster.


	12. It comes in threes (MarcoxAce)

**A/N:** Hey, you, reader. Do you have any ideas or prompts? Maybe I could find some inspiration for stuff that's not so... depressing...?

* * *

1\. **The Past**

Some nights, Ace dreamed of That Day.

And on those nights, after waking in a cold sweat, he wondered to himself...

What if he hadn't stopped? What if he'd ignored Akainu?

Maybe... Luffy would still be alive.

2\. **What if?**

Some nights, Ace dreams of a different fate. One where his little brother didn't die.

Sometimes, Ace gives up his own life to protect Luffy. His legs were fast enough and he made it just in time!

Sometimes, Marco is there, screaming at Ace to run as he keeps the magma man at bay.

Sometimes, they all run, Ace and Luffy, with Marco half dragging them.

3\. **The reality**

Every night, Ace wakes up alone. Marco never sleeps in the same bed anymore.

Won't even look him in the eyes anymore.

Is it to hide hate? Resentment?

Regret?

Ace will never know, because he can't bring himself to ask.

This is just the reality of things.


End file.
